Sarah Darling is a rising country star in Nashville, so it's only fitting that she would audition on the debut of ABC's new show 'Rising Star' on Sunday (June 22). And judge Brad Paisley had a very strong opinion on Darling's performance.

The songstress gave a go at Kacey Musgraves' 'Merry Go 'Round,' which showed off her crystal clear vocals and beautiful tone. Paisley appeared to love her performance right away, pumping his fist in the air and turning around to encourage fans to cheer louder.

As the song went on, the tally of voters went up until the soon-to-be-infamous wall rose, with Darling receiving a whopping 89 percent. She was just one of six that evening who raised the three-story-tall wall, but the only country contestant. Whether the wall goes up or stays down is entirely dependent upon votes at home.

Paisley was adamant in his praise, telling Darling, "First of all, nice to meet you. I know some people that know you, so it's great to finally meet you. I think you're fantastic. You picked one of the best songs in the past five years in country music. Fantastic, keep it up."

Judges Kesha and Ludacris offered their own support, but stated Darling should have picked a song that showed off her vocal range a bit more, as Musgraves' hit is more mellow.

Darling has found some traction within country music already with songs like 'Little Umbrellas' and 'Home to Me,' but admits she's never had that perfect shot at success. She is hoping 'Rising Star' will help her continue to gain traction within the country music realm, and based on Paisley's reaction, he is, too.